Rafa’s bumper charity farewell gift to Liverpool

Poignant SG

Back in work: Rafa Benitez has a new role as manager at European champions Inter Milan

Rafa Benitez has been confirmed as the new coach of Inter Milan. The club today announced the Spaniard has signed a two-year deal at the San Siro.

Inter, the Italian and European champions, moved swiftly to snap up Benitez, who left Liverpool last week as they sought a replacement for Jose Mourinho who left for Real Madrid earlier this summer.

Benitez is to be introduced at a press conference next Tuesday.

The Spaniard's six-year spell as Liverpool manager was ended by mutual consent last week. He still had four years to run on his Liverpool contract but left after the Reds could only manage seventh place in the Barclays Premier League last season.

Liverpool also suffered early exits in the Champions League, FA Cup and Carling Cup. By contrast Inter won a historic treble of Champions League, Serie A and Italian Cup.

Tough act to follow: Inter are reigning European champions after an historic treble-winning season under Jose Mourinho, who has left for Real Madrid

Poignant SG

It's on Inter's official website.

http://www.inter.it/aas/news/reader?N=34021&L=en

Rooney9 SG

moratti must be scratching his head and think will his purchases for inter will go the same route as liverpool when he was in charge?

33m for kuyt and mascharano omg? os si kuyt going to play at the right flank of midfield? inter already got a few defensive midfielders, so is he going to play 2 defensive midfielders in his formation again?

zocoss SG

Don't be surprise if Rafa can actually do a decent job in Serie A... Mourinho's Inter setup is very much like his... Defensive with very fit players...

Personally, I don't think $33m if its true for Kuyt and Mascharano is a crazy figure... With the way the market is getting this last 2 seasons, any half decent player is going to cost you $20m... If Arsenal wants $40 to $50m for Fabregas, I don't see why Mascharano can't cost that sum. Cos he is as good in value to Fabregas although they operate in a different roles but they are as good in their respective positions... Personally, I think Mascharano alone would easily cost $30m if not more...

zocoss SG

Wah, in less than a week he already got a new job... Looks like he had it all wrap up long ago... I must say he have a very good agent...

He got the best of both worlds... In other words, he got his cake and also got to eat it... lol.

CKeer SG

Wah, in less than a week he already got a new job... Looks like he had it all wrap up long ago... I must say he have a very good agent...

He got the best of both worlds... In other words, he got his cake and also got to eat it... lol.

Thats why Rafa is so fat as compared to the rest of the EPL managers!

Yup, have to agree with you, Inter plays defensive football under Mourinho but i wonder if there's a need to mass purchase new players as the old saying (By Wenger btw) goes: Never dismantle a winning team.

All Inter need is maybe a decent keeper back up as there're sufficient covers for all other positions.

zocoss SG

rafa benitez

And the Spaniard stunned workers at the Hillsborough Family Support Group with a £96,000 gift.

The sum is significant with 96 fans losing their lives in the disaster 21 years ago.

And the charity's chairperson Margaret Aspinall said: "It was just nice to know that he wanted to see us before he went."

Ex-Kop boss Benitez will be unveiled at the San Siro on Tuesday after signing a two-year deal.

Poignant SG

thanks rafael. you might not be the one to bring us forward, but i think all kopites know that you're truely a fan of the club.

Rock^Star SG

I'm still piqued as to why he never quite made it as a pool manager, save the european cup lol.

kopiosatu SG

u just have to look at the people he wants to purchase at inter milan.

then u can probably get a rough idea on who he wanted to buy at liverpool.

reyes SG

rafa is judge because he spent huge amount of money. maybe same like man utd the past 5 years but had not won the EPL while man utd has won 3.

AW on the otherhand has not won anything the last 5 years but still club wana keep him because he has spent so little in fact he help the club make money by selling players season in and out but still in the lucrative CL.

joing inter is simply for rafa to make more money la. it hard to emulate wat jose has achieve at inter. just go there for the money and prepare to be fire and take more compensation.

Medicated Oil SG

Ah Ben still love Liverpool even if he did not achieve the holy grail.

But, I am not sure the inter players would able to tahan his hard handed method and may asked for transfer after mid season.

As for Ah Ben, his ego will be severely challenged by the boss, the fans and the players and I am not sure he can tahan one season.

Inter should be able to win the league title with the 1st season under him.

It will be more interesting to see him cross sword with Jose of RM in champion league soccer.

Rooney9 SG

if rafa dun win the serie A in his first season, how, continue? the fact is inter is the strongest team in the serie a after the scandal of 2006, so you have to wonder why inter did not win the league title under rafa. we shall see, watch this space..........

zocoss SG

Rafa and Jose might play almost the same brand of football, their style is... quite similar... But that's all they share in similarities... There are big difference to them as well, like while Jose is very passionate, Rafa is like at the other end of the scale or totally opposite... Probably the coldest coach/manager i have seen. And another area is also how they used their subs... While Jose seems to be daring, Rafa seems rather too timid most of the time...

Last but not least, Jose's mind games is also better than his... lol.